2,145 forest dwellers get land titles in Biswanath under Forest Land Rights Act

Biswanath Chariali, July 30: Under the Forest Land Rights Act, 2006, the Biswanath district administration formally handed over land title certificates to 2,145 claimants living on forest land in the district on Monday.

In a meeting held at the Kamalakanta Natya Samaj auditorium, Guardian Minister of Biswanath Ashok Singhal formally started the process of issuing certificates to the claimants. The beneficiaries are living in different forest areas under the three Assembly constituencies in Biswanath district – Biswanath, Behali and Gohpur.

In his inaugural address, Ashok Singhal said that this is a noble initiative of the State government to protect the forest dwellers of Assam socially and culturally under the Forest Rights Act, 2006. The government has been striving to give land rights to the indigenous people of the State through implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006, he said, adding that the government has been keeping a close watch to ensure proper implementation of the Act at the field level through its members by constituting Forest Rights Committees.

Earlier, Biswanath district commissioner Simanta Kumar Das delivered the welcome address in the programme, which was also attended by the district’s MLAs and officials of the district and co-district administrations.

On the other hand, the Guardian Minister also dedicated to the public a sluice gate reconstructed by the irrigation department at Sakomatha in the district and later addressed a public meeting.